Reading stand



April 25, 1939. A, K OMEARA Q 2,156,225

READING STAND Filed,F'eb. 17, 1958 INVENTOR 40M t/a4 1-44..

ATTO RNE Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES READING STAND Allan Keith -Meara, New York, N. Y. Application February 17, 1938, Serial No. 190,946

3 Claims. (01. 454:0)

The object of the present invention is to provide a reading stand adapted for general use but which is particularly adapted for use on a bed by invalids and other persons, in that the stand enables the book, magazine or other readable matter to be swung to any desired position including a position horizontally above the reader.

A further object of the invention is to so form and combine the elements of the structure that the supporting legs and primary frame-applied book supporting member may be disassembled and held against the back of the frame member within the boundaries of flanges carried by the latter at its margins and which extend rear wardly of the front face of the frame member. These flanges serve, among other purposes; as slotted height adjusting elements which cooperate with supporting legs or risers upon which the frame may be swung to a desired reading position, and in some cases to a position at or approaching horizontal, with the flanges of the frame extending downwardly to enable use of the device as a breakfast tray.

The device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention, the tray having been swung up to vertical position.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the device, showing in dotted lines a movement of the tray to downwardly inclined position.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the frame structure.

Figure 5 is a rear face plan view of the entire structure with the supporting elements disassembled and held between the frame member.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown at l a traylike frame member having top and bottom and end flanges la: which extend rearwardly. When the frame member is stamped out of sheet steel or the like the weight thereof may be decreased by so forming the die that portions of the major wall of the structure will be cut out in decorative formation as indicated at lzcar. The v sections of the metal such as shown at law.

' cific measurements.

Whenthe traylike, frame member is made of light material such as aluminum sheet these outout portions will be unnecessary.

Attached at a suitable point on the front face of the traylike frame member at one side thereof is a spring arm 3, a like arm being similarly p0sitioned at the opposite side of the device. Atxor near the lower margin of the traylike frame structure it is longitudinally and transversely cut at 4, Figure 5, and the intermediate section is bent downwardly to form a shelf or rest 5. The upper horizontal flange lac is formed with an aperture at 6 and a like aperture is formed at 6:1: in shelf 5. A light but strong rod 1 having an upper hooked end la: is adapted to enter slot 6, its lower end entering slot 63:. At each end flange 190 there is formed a longitudinally extending slot 8 through which is passed a headed stud 9, the stud being also passed through a bracket plate Iii to which each end of a triangularly bent rod I l is welded or otherwise permanently secured. The threaded end of each headed stud receives a wing nut l2 adapted to bear upon the outer face of the appropriate bracket ID.

The headed stud 9 has sufficient clearance in slot 8, in each case, to enable the traylike frame to be moved up or down relatively to the brackets H) when the wing nuts !2 are loosened. Thus if the traylike frame is formed with slots 8, 5" in length, and the triangularly bent rod supports are 14 /2" long, the vertical adjustment thus provided will be adequate for bed use of the device, although I am not, of course, restricted to spe- It will also be understood that the triangular supports may be made of suflicient length to enable the device to be supported from a floor or platform. In that case I desire that the side sections of the support be telescopic or hinged to enable their collapse or folding so that they may be reduced in size from the maximum when it is desired to disassemble the elements and latch the supports within the flanges of the traylike frame member in the manner shown in Figure 5. The latch for such purpose comprises a spring arm l3 pivoted at I4 on the underface of the traylike frame. The latter may have an ear punched out from its major wall as shown at I41: for receiving a hooked end of rod 1.

In the use of the device, a book may be placed upon the traylike frame member with the appropriate pages open as shown in Figure 1 and the spring arms 3 swung over to hold the pages down. The rod 1 will be placed in position with its upper end entering slot 6 and the lower end entering slot 61: of the shelf. When the device is upright the weight of the book will primarily be applied to shelf 5. When the book is swung over so that the reading pages extend downwardly, the book will be supported primarily by rod 1. The desired height is quickly secured by the adjustment through wing nuts l2 and the slotted end flanges. As the pages on the left-hand side of the book increase due to turning over the pages, the spring arm will accommodate the same, it being light and yet having a required pressure. Likewise, as the pages at the right-hand side of the book are decreased in number the spring arm will move inwardly without the necessity for any adjustment whatsoever. If the reader so desires the traylike frame member may be swung to any desired position within and throughout this adjustment the book will adequately be held. If the book or magazine is of such height that its upper edge extends above the traylike frame, rod 1 will continue to be operated inasmuch as it may be moved upwardly to accommodate such height. By removing the wing nuts the triangular supports may be placed in the position of Figure 5, and likewise rod 1 will be placed in such position, whereupon latch arm l3 may be swung over to hold the said supporting elements in position. The device may then be transported in a maximum compact condition. In Figure 3 I have shown the wing nuts applied to the threaded ends of headed studs. Any other suitable clamping means which will enable the adjustment may be substituted therefor. The rectangular dotted lines shown on the pages of the book B indicated at b indicate usual printing areas on the pages.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A reading stand, comprising a tray-like frame member formed with rearwardly extending marginal flanges, including side flanges and a top flange, a forwardly extending shelf-like flange carried by said tray-like frame member, a rod having an upper hooked end adapted to enter an aperture in the top flange and also adapted to enter an aperture in the shelf-like flange, said rod being adapted to engage a book at the vertical central section thereof when the book is open, yielding members carried by the tray-like frame member at its marginal area for engaging book leaves, longitudinally extending slots formed in the said side flanges, and supporting members in combination with means adjustably connecting them to the slotted areas of the tray-like frame member, said supporting members being adapted for disassembly and mounting within the rearwardly extending flanges of the tray-like frame member.

2. A reading stand constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which each supporting member comprises a wire bent in triangular formation, a bracket to which the ends of the wire are secured, and releasable fastening means carried by the'bracket and adapted to coact with the slotted areas of the tray-like frame member.

3. A reading stand constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the book holding rod and tray-like frame member are so formed and combined that the rod may be given endwise adjustment to accommodate books of various heights whilst retaining its holdingrelation with the traylike frame member.

ALLAN KEITH OMEARA. 

